Seam pressing machine



July 4, 1950 H. D. ELLIOTT SEAM PRESSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 23, 1948 [)1 van for War/g 0. mm [2,

July 4, 1950 H. D. ELLIOTT 2,513,464

SEAM PRESSING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ]n van far K War/y 12mm zfzf y 1950 H. D. ELLIOTT SEAM PRESSING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheei 4 Fil ed July 23, 1948 July 4, 1950 H. D. ELLIOTT 2,513,464

SEAM PRESSING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fnycnlar Harry Z7. fllz'azz Patented July '4, 1950 SEAM PRESSING MACHINE Harry D. Elliott, Wenham, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,395

4 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for pressing seams formed in shoe parts, for example, the back seams of shoe uppers, and it is herein illustrated and described as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,440,675, granted May 4, 1948, upon the application 'of Alfred S. Clark and Edward M. Spence, Sr. Machines of this type are provided with a seam pressing roll of large diameter and with a pair of smaller work feeding rolls between which the pressing roll extends. A spring-pressed support is provided for yieldingly holding the Work against the pressing roll and the feed rolls. The work is presented to the machine with the unfinished side, i. e., the flesh side of the leather, in contact with the feed rolls and the pressing roll.

' The back seam to be pressed may, at the time the operation is performed, be the only connection between the two pieces of upper material which it joins. In such a case, where the work piece consists of a pair of quarters having no connection to each other except through the back seam, there is no difficulty in removing the work piece, hereinafter termed an open work piece, from the machine after the back seam has been pressed. However, it is often desirable to perform the seam pressing operation after the quarters have been stitched to a vamp to form a complete upper, or to perform it upon an upper which consists of a single piece of material having its rear portions joined by the back seam. In such cases the work piece forms a ring-like structure completely enclosing a central opening and having a backseam which extends from the periphery to the central opening. After this closed upper has been fed to cause the back seam to traverse the operating instrumentalities of the machine from the periphery to the central opening, some provision must be made for its removal from the machine, either by a further unnecessary feeding operation or by separating the work-engaging instrumentalities to permit withdrawal.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a seam pressing machine suitable for operation upon closed uppers as well as upon open work pieces, and which is constructed and arranged for convenience of adjustment and operation.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the illustrated machine is provided with a stop for limiting the movement of the springpressed work support toward the pressing roll and with means for adjusting the position of this stop, and it is provided also with means for adjusting the pressure exerted by the spring, each of these adjusting means being capable of being operated without affecting the other.

In accordance with a further feature, the

work support is arranged for ready removal to an out-of-the-way position to enable a stack of closed uppers which have accumulated around it to be removed.

In accordance with a still further feature, the pressing roll and the coaxial feed rolls, together with the instrumentalities which support and drive them, are carried by an overhanging bracket extending from a single standard which is positioned at one side only of the operator to permit a maximum degree of freedom for manipulation of the work.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, Will be described in connection with an illustrative machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an illustrative machine embodying the invention;

"Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line III--III of Fig. 4, showing portions of the supporting and driving instrumentalities;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line IV--IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view, with a cover plate removed, taken in the direction of the arrow V on Fig. 2; I

Fig. 6 is a detail view similar to Fig. 5 showing the above-mentioned cover plate in position and with a Hurley back stay guide mounted thereon;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the base portion of the frame;

Fig. 8 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow VIII on Fig. 2 showing certain mechanism within the base of the frame;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the lower portion of the frame showing the work support moved to an out-of-the-way position; and

Fig. 10 is a detail view in end elevation illustrating the passage of a work piece through the machine.

The illustrated machine is adapted. to operate upon a work piece W (a fragment of which is shown in Figs. 6 and 10). This work piece W consists of a pair of quarters joined together by a line of stitching S to leave a seam ridge R. The work piece W, as shown herein, has been turned inside-out for presentation to the machine. The operation consists in the flattening and ironing of the ridge R.

The work-engaging instrumentalities of the illustrated machine comprise a driven seam pressing or seam rubbing roll ll] of large diameter, a work support l2, a pair of driven feed rolls I 4 and I6, a pair of seam ridge guides I3 and 20 (Fig. 5), a seam crease guide 22 and a guide 24 for Hurley back stays. These parts are all similar, in their construction and in their stud (not shown) secured. in the boss: 89

mode of operation upon a work piece, to cordriving and supporting certain of these parts are new.

The main portion of the frame of the illustrated machine consists of a hollow--casting-hav- 3 ing a base portion 26 adapted to be secured to a work bench, a column 28 extending up from the right-hand end of the base. anda substan: tially horizontal arm 30 extending from the upper portion of the column and overhangingthe base. tion- 25*isclosed by a cover plate 3i.

The left-hand end of the base por- The lefthand endof-thearrntfiis closed-by awall 32 i I isclosedby a wall 33,- a part of which bears againstthe outer face ofthewall-EFZ. Anarcuate recess 351s formed in the wall -33 to accommodate I theseampressing roll lib 'The 'left-hand end ofthe end-housing- 3 8 is covered-by a plate 35 A screw 38= (Figs. 2 andd) extending through boththe-cover pl-ate35 and -the endhousing 3% i and threaded into the wall w hel-ps =-to -secure the cover plate and the-end housing to the arm at. Anotherscrew- 4EI- extending only through the end housing- 34 assists the screw 33 'in 4 holdin the end housing to the arm 39-. I A- thirdscrew-lm (Fig. 4) threaded into the end housing 35: helps to secure the cover plate 383 to the-end housing.

The sea-mpressing roll IE] isfi-Xedupon a shaft M (Figs. 2 and-3) the left-handendportion of which is-journaledina bearing d5=-mounted in j a bosst8 extend-ingfromthe end wall 32. right-hand-end oftheshaftd l is journaledin The a bearing 59 (Fig- 1) which ismounted ina cover plate'52 secured to the right-hand face lfl against endwise movement.- Secured. upon the shaft 44 adjacent :to the right-hand end thereof is a gear 5 1 which is driven by a gear Era-mounted onashaft.58. Theleft-hand end of theshaft v I 58 is-of reduced diameter-. andis. journaled .in a bearing w secured in. abracket 52-. carriedby the cover plate- 5.2; an intermediate portionpf the shaft 58 is journaled in a bearing; Macarriedbythecoverplate 52. I Mounted .upon. the

right-hand end: portion-of the shaft 58 area pair of fixed and;loose pulleys td and 68.11%.-

'spectively. A belt lflldriven from any suitable source of. power. may be shifted from the loose pulley 653 tozthe fixed pulley todrivethe machine. a

The feediroll ItlFig. 1)? is adjustablysecured upon the left-hand end of a shaft I2 by.a .set.- screw M. The shaft '52 is journaled in azbearing bushing-wipositioned a little to. the right of the feed roll. Mirand mounted in a.boss .on: the: end

wall32; and it is journaled also in a bearing bushing mounted in a boss 89 extending up fromthe lower wall=of the arm 36. The shaft I2 is free to slide endwisein its bearings=and it.

isurged towardzthe. left, as seen in Fig; 1., by a coil compression spring 82,.the' right-hand end ofiwhich bears, through a washer, against one ofa pair of thrust bearings 18.- backed by'the 1 boss 8!]. The left-hand .end of the spring 82 bears 4 finished surface on the adjacent face of the gear 86 engages the other thrust bearing 18 to limit the leftshand movement. of the: shaft if under theinfiuence of the-spring-BZr The idler gear 38 is driven by a gear 9% secured upon a shaft 92, the right-hand end portion of which is 40 of the column 28. These bearings hold: the shaft .jpurnaled -in a bearing 94 secured in the bracket 32. The shaft 92 extends to the left through openings in thenwalls 32 and 33, and its lefthand end portion is journaled in a bushing mountedin the cover plate 35. Secured upon the right-hand end of the shaft 92 is a bevel gear 98which is driven by a bevel gear I530 securedupon a vertical shaft Hi2, the end portions of the shaft I02 being journaled in bearing-s- IZM- and- Itt -mounted in thebracket. t2. Fixed u-ponthe shaft- IE2 is a worm wheel I33 which isdriven by a. worm Ilibonthe shaft-.58. The feed'roll- I I 1 is drivenin thefollowing manner-a Mounted ontheshaft 92: (see Figs. 3 and l-J' within thaend housing t luisla gear. III. whichdrives a trainof idler gears N l; 116;. M8 all/mounted upon studs carried .,by. the cover plate 36. The-idler gear. II8,.which isthe last of the-train,= drives a-gear I2ll1secured upon. the left-hand encl portion: of. asshaft I22. which is slidably androtatably mounted in. abearing bushing I Z hcarried-"by. the. end housing 34.- and in a bearing bushing I 25 carried :by the cover. plate 38; A setscrew [26:1 securesthe-feedroll 14.011 the right-hand end-portion .of the shaft I22 with provision for endwisa. adjustment.

The feed roll I ilis.urgeditoetheright bya coil compression: spring I 28.- (Flig. housedin a .bore in the wallof the end. housingfiti The right,- hand end ofthe spring. I28.-abuts against the lefthand end of a. pressure adjusting screw I30 threaded: into said; b.ore;- The left-hand. end. of thespring I 28-bears. against .a plunger I32 housed in said-bore sand it transmits thesthrust. of. the spring. to an endknoloof. a. thrustrod I341. The left-hand end of r the rod.- I3 l,. which .is also rounded inform a knob,-. engagesasocket formed inloneiend ofaleven I3B fulcrumedona pin. I38 carried. by a boss .Mficextendingfrom. the cover plate (8:6; The oppositefendtof the lever I3 5 similarly: engages. aiknohs I42. formed. on. the, left: hand end-of theshaft I22; Movement. of the feed roll-I4: tothe right. under the influence ofthe spring; I28; is limited by the.:engag ement'of a. finishedzsurface onthe gear. mil-with .a washer which is backediby the bushing I24. Y

Itris; evident from the: above; description that the ,seam .pressingrroll lllqwill be ;driven atqrelatively. high speedand:thatiheufeed rolls M and I6 ;will .be. driven. both-in, theysame; direction, at lower speeds. Thedirections in which these rolls rotate,- areindicat'edby arrows. on Fig. 2.- The feed rolls M and It will be urged toward each otherto their stopping positions by their springs I28 and.,82. respectively andwill yield awayfrom each other to accommodate, irregularities, of thickness, in1the;worl piec.es'.- Axial adjustment ofthe; feed rolls Imand Ibis. made by loosening their set-screws I26 and M and sliding thleafeed rollsalong their shafts.

Eor supporting; the J seam; ridge guides and the Hurley back stay g.uides, there; are .providedapair of;-L.-shaped' brackets 1M and. I45, both: of which are'lshown in Fig. 5 ;;and one. of which appears in Fig; 2. Theibracketj; l l lgis secured to a finished surface formed onth-e top of..the:end,.wa11 32. by.a pair of -screws, M threadedinto; the1t.0p- Of the end: wall and." extendingthroughyslotszin. the brackettto permit-:forwardiandrearward radiustment of the latter. The L-shaped bracket I46 is similarly secured to a finished surface I56 (Fig. 4) formed on the top of the wall 33 of the end housing 34. A pair of screws I52 threaded into the end housing and extending through slots inthe bracket I46 permit forward and rearward'adjustment of the latter. The brackets I44 and I46 are similar to each other except for the fact that integral with the bracket I44 and extending sub-- stantially to the bracket I46 is 'afiller lug I54. When the machine is assembled the inner or right-hand face of the bracket I46 is substantially in engagement with the left-handface of the lug I54. v

The seam ridge guide I8 (Fig. 2) is secured by a screw I56, with provision for lateral adjustment, to a block I51 which is secured by a screw I59, with provision for heightwise adjustment, to the lower portion of a bar I58. The upper portion of the bar I58 is pivotally mounted upon a pin I66 secured in the bracket I46. The bar I58 hangs in a groove I62 formed in the outer face of the bracket I46, the groove being wide enough to afford some limited freedom of swinging movement to thebar. The seam ridge guide 26 is similarly secured upon a depending bar I64 which pivotally depends from a pin I66 secured in the bracket I44. It has some limited freedom of swinging movement in a groove I68 formed in the outer face of the bracket I44. From a reading of the foregoing description it will be evident that the seam ridge guides I8 and 26 are similar in construction and mounting to the corresponding members of the machine disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,446,675, above mentioned. They are also urged toward each other by leaf springs not shown herein but fully dis-. closed in said patent.

The Hurley back stay guide 24 (Figs. 2 and 6). is pivotally mounted upon a shoulder screw I16 extending through a cover plate I12 which is clamped against the face of the bracket I44 by the screw I16 and two other screws threaded into holes I14 (Fig. in the filler. lug I54. This guide, which is shown in Fig. 6 in its neutral position, is operated through a linkage I16 by a treadle which is in all respects similar to corresponding mechanism disclosed in said Letters Patent No. 2,440,675. A slide I18 (Fig. 2), having a knob I86 for the convenience of the operator, can be moved down to serve as a stop for the purpose of maintaining the guide in its neutral position.

It is evident that, by reasonof the construction so far described, the end. housing 34 can readily be removed to afford access to the seam pressing roll I6 or for other reasons, and it can readily be replaced. Such removal and replacement of the end housing 34 do not disturb the seam ridge guide 26 or the Hurley back stay guide 24, since these members are carried by the horizontal arm 36 of the machine frame and not by the end housing. Although the feed roll I4 and the seam ridge guide I8 are carried by the end housing, their adjustment and the adjustment of the compression of the spring I28 are not affected by the removal and replacement of the end housing, since the parts involved in the adjustments are all carried bodily as a unit by the end housing.

The work support I2 consists of a central stationary disk positioned between two anti-friction side disks which rotate idly in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 2. All three disks are similar to corresponding members of the machine disclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,440,675 and they,

are mounted on a pin I82 (Fig. '2) secured between a pair of ears I84 (see also Fig. 1) which extend up from a plate I66 secured to a slide.

screw I94 is threaded up through a cup-shaped cover I66 which'is secured by screws I98 to a flange 296 extending radially from a tubular nut 262 having external threads and a smooth bore in which the lower portion of the plunger I88 is slidable. This nut 262 is threaded into a counterbore formed in the bracket I96 coaxial withfthe guideway for the plunger I88. A look nut 264 threaded on the screwI94 engages a boss. on the cover I96 to hold the screw I94'in adjusted position. The cover I96, by reason of its shape and the manner of its attachment to the. nut'262, encloses a space 266 below the flange 266. Housed within this space and engaging an annular groove formed in the lower end portion of the slide'ilii is a U-shaped washer 268. It is evident that the upward thrust of the spring I92 will urge the Work support I2 up as far as permitted by the engagement of theU-shaped washer 268 with the lower end face of the nut 262 which'thus serves as a stop, and that turning of the nut 292, which is facilitated by a knurled surface on the exterior of the cover I96, will adjust the stopping position of the work support heightwise without changing the compression of the spring I92. It is also evident that turning of the screw Hi4 (after the lock nut 264 has been loosened) serves to adjust the compression of the spring I92 without changing the upper stopping position of the work supportl 2.-

ihe seam crease guide 22 has a depending shank 261 which is clamped byscrews 269- to a block 2i I. The screws 269 are threaded into the plunger I68. The block 2H slides in a guide slot formed in the wall of the bracket I96 and, being clamped to the plunger by the screws 269, it holds the plunger against turning.

When working upon closed uppers the Work support I2 may be moved from its operating position as shown in Fig. 2 to an out-of-the-way position as shown by full lines in Fig. 9 to facilitate the removal of a stack of closed uppers which have accumulated around the upstanding portion of the bracket I96. To provide for such movement of the work support, the bracket I96 is imade in the form of a generally L-shaped member having .a base which is clamped by screws 2I6 to a block 212. The block H2 and the base of the bracket I66 extend through a hole 213 (Fig. l) inthe top and front walls of the base portion 26 of the frame. Secured between the cover plate 3i and a bosswithin the base portion 26 is a stationary bearing pin 2M upon whichthe block 2I2 is fulcrumed for tilting movement. The block 2I2is notched to provide between it and the base portion of the bracket I96 a; guideway 2I6 in which is slidably mounted a-lower bearing block 2I6 engaging the bottom of the guideway and an upper bearing block 226 engaging the top of the guideway. The bearing blocks 2I8 and 226 are not in contact with. each a e-ga es:

other but theyuaz e cylindricalhegroovedi tocehba gageham eccentric; portion; 222;;of; a lcrankifl prising a shaft1224e (see-alson-F z fllrioll hhled for pivotal movement ina. bearing; formed. ;in,;a; boss ZZS -depending. from. the, top ,of the. baserpmltion 26;;of, the frameandainanother hearing:

their engagement with ;-finished.-surfaces 5 formedf upon the. crankarms. Secured; uponpneyend: of the. crank shaft ZZtLby a-.pinv 22B is ,a hand, wheel 230:; Extending; radiallyvfromthehubpof;

' the=handwhee1 23.0: is a.-pin;2;32 ,which is engageable, when'the wheel isturned in one direction; with a stop. pin- 23.4 securedin the cover'pl-ate. 3!. When the hand wheel is turned in the opposite; direction the p 232; is brought .intoienga ee ment;,withanother. stop pin 235 alsosecureddn the; covert-plate. 3!; Turning of the; handvwheel 230 :in: the. direction of the-arrow,v as shown-in; Fig. '7; willbring the work support..l2 fromits, operating position as shown in Figs/2" and 7 to its: out-.of-the-way position as. shown in ;full lines in Fig.9.; As the hand wheel 230 isthus'turned; the eccentric portion 2220f the crank'travels' 11.1 from the position shownfin Fig. 2 to the: position shown in Fig. 9; causing the bracket-l 90 to, swing in a. clockwise direction about, theiulcrum:v pin 214. Theclimit of such outwardmovementwof the bracket 190115 determined-jby the engagement of the pin 232 :With the sto'pi23fi; When thewqorlk support is; in this position the stack of closed uppersmayrreadily be removed. The worlc sup: P0111318 returnedto its operating-position byturm ing the hand wheel 2301 in a clockwise, direction; ascseen: 111:.Eiga 7,: until the, pin 232 engages the stop =2-3 i: ,which= is so positioned .as to enable, the GOCGHU'iCpOZYtiOII ZZZ of the crankshaftdust barvely to pass itsudead-centenposition withrespect to: the operativefaces of the guideway. 216:; Be-

causetof this. arrangement, anyforce tendingrto swingwthe; bracket:tiiilinwardlyiin a, counterclockwise: direction-willbe; resisted by a, tension againstthe slide; to; urge the slide. along: the

guideway, an abutment for the other end 'Of'fthG spring, astop for limitinggthev movement ofzthe slide in; its guideway under the urge. oft said spring, said stop I being secured =to; saidbracket with, provisionforadjustment. of the. stop; in the direction of movement :of: the slide, and means for securing. said i abutment to said:,stp with provision for adjustment of the-.abutmentiin-lthe irect n .of movement of the li e;

2. In a machine of the class described a woi k support, a plunger upon the upper end of which the Work support ,iS. l, mounted, v albracket having a.=.auiiiewayrforesaid;.pluneer, a ubular' u sur ro ndin heznlunserz adiace tr h l w r: nd thereon and h eaded nt a d r ck t. h plungersbein idah ei inithe nu e u having anjoiitwardlr; tend neflanse be o e bracket andn heiplunser;hav haan nnu r v adjacent i QI t -I QWQ .1 nds a ha ed Washer i hag ngssaiic rocve -ahd n aeea le with t lower d-i fii' hfii l t: tei-ston the p o t of the piun enflas up+shaped... p e d o said flangeiandghousing said washer, the plunger havingeann axial, bhnea xtendins p fr mli sk lower en -3 11 3 abutmentl sc ew h a ed. p, through said cap and extending freely into said bore, and a ompression spr n oused W n; id bore, the-upper:endz-ofithes r hg bearin aga ns the upp n nd n re-plu er. i rs e plun upstowardnstoppingposition and the lower end of the snr ns eari is a st, p r endof the abutment-5hr .1

3 .;In .a mach emf h la s-de ed, a W

forsivinsih rm ii m nt 7 f. t W r upp t toward; and; fro n an operating position, an operatorecontrolled crank, a pivotal bearing for said rankzhavin -ancaxis a al li h a i f the firstementionect'bear n ra s di g connection tween thepcrank andthe; carrier for swinging he; arri r? abo t; h y fir t-men n d b a i whenathecrank isturnedh na at p f r l mitin themov -menh eran W e crank is turn dcg to bring -the; w.ork Support from an outofetherwayzposi ion eiritopera ing p said stopmbeing positioned to. stop the crank immediatelyv after the crank; has passed its dead center position in: the; course: of such turning, whereby accidental forces tending tQ;;mQYe the work supportltoward its,outeof-the way position will be resisted bythestop and-; accidental forces tendingq to; move the work'support in; the opposite, diection Ywillhbe resistedeby; a rank n ts dead centerwposi-tiom.

4.;In ;a sea i n pressingmachine, a rotary seam Dressing 304.01, mtdrivenhsha it, a bearing for said shaft, ,a .framehaving; a=ghorizontal overhanging armqin which: saidbearing-isv mounted,- said shaft having, an unsupported end 1 portion extending beyondasaidl bearing-t. Said toolibeing mounted upon-l the-unsupported=-end portion 0t said shaft, atpairi of;coaxialufeed-wheelsdisposed on opposite. sides of'said tool, a. pair of coaxial shafts parallel to said tool shaft and having; a space between their adjacent ends, the feed wheels being' mountedaon theadjacent end portions of said-shafts; a bearingfor one of said shafts mounted inesaid 'arm, a housing supported only by-said arm and extending horizontally from said arm beyond said-tool, a bearing for the other feedwheelshaft mounted'in said housing, and drivingrneans for sa'id feed wheels.

HARRY D. ELLIOTT.

Name- Date Roske Apr. 29, 1947 Number=- 

